34th Street (IND Second Avenue Line) (mtamaster edition)
34th Street is a station on the IND Second Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Second Avenue and 34th Street on the East Side, it serves the U''' at all times, the '''Y train during weekdays, and T during late nights only. Station layout This station has two tracks and an island platform. The station is built so that it is more wide open than most other underground subway stations in the system. Its design was likened to a Washington Metro station by Dr. Michael Horodniceanu, President of MTA Capital Construction. The platform is approximately 100 feet (30.5 m) below ground. The platform for the 34th Street station, like many other Second Avenue Subway stations, is 27.8 feet (8.5 m) wide. Entrances, exits, and ancillary buildings There are 2 entrances and exits, which comprise 3 escalators and one elevator. History Background The Second Avenue Line was originally proposed in 1919 as part of a massive expansion of what would become the Independent Subway System (IND). Work on the line never commenced, as the Great Depression crushed the economy. Numerous plans for the Second Avenue Subway appeared throughout the 20th century, but these were usually deferred due to lack of funds. In anticipation of the never-built new subway line, the Second and Third Avenue elevated lines were demolished in 1942 and 1955, respectively. The Second Avenue Elevated had one station at 34th Street, and the Third Avenue Elevated had a stop on nearby Third Avenue at 34th Street. Unrealized proposals As part of the New York City Transit Authority's 1968 Program for Action, the construction of the full-length Second Avenue Subway was proposed. It was to be built in three phases—the first phase from Court Street to Grand Street was already opened by 1968; the second phrase from 126th to 34th Streets and the third phase from 34th to Grand Street were in the works. The line's planned stops in Manhattan, spaced farther apart than those on existing subway lines, proved controversial; the Second Avenue line was criticized as a "rich man's express", circumventing the Lower East Side with its complexes of high-rise low- and middle-income housing and slums in favor of a silk stocking route. In 1983, the Regional Plan Association considered a full-length Second Avenue Subway, with 34th Street being part of 13 newly planned stations. At this point, the entire line between Grand Street and 125th Street would open at the same time, instead of the northern end of the line ending at 34th Street with the remaining section opening at a later date. Construction In June 1979, the Second Avenue Subway was revived. The line's first phase, the "first major expansion" to the New York City Subway in more than a half-century, included six new stations on the east side. The line's construction commenced on July 15, 1979, In April 1983, the second round of planning for the stations were finalized. The station opened along with the remainder of the IND Second Avenue Line north of Grand Street on October 29th, 1989.